Torch and pot holder



Oct. 1964 R. P. GOODARE ETAL 3,

TORCH AND POT HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1963 Oct. 20, 1964 R. P. GOODARE ET AL 3, 3

TORCH AND POT HOLDER Filed March 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,153,410 TORCH AND POT HOLDER Richard P. Goodare, 19527 Gary Ave, Sunnyvale, Calif.,

and Albert J. Nagel, Cupertino, Califl; said Nagel assignor to said Goodare Filed Mar. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 2686M) I Claims. (Cl. 126-343.5)

This invention relates to holders for torches and melting pots, such as those used-by plumbers to meltlead. In. making plumbing installations, plumbers often have to work in areas where it is necessary to melt pots of lead with gas fired torches or burners. During inclement weather, especially in high winds, it is often difficult to Briefly, the torch pot holder of this invention includes a substantially horizontal base plate having an upright opening wthrough a central portion. A plurality of raised ribs on the top surface of the base plate extend adjacent from the base plateopening toward the perimeter of the base plate.

A downwardly extending chimney is secured at its upper end to the base plate around the base plate opening. The chimney has a plurality of'lateral openings around its lower. portion. Each of these lateral openings is large enough to permit a conventional burner head or torch to be inserted and propped inside the chimney. An upright opening is provided in the bottom of the chimney to give adequate draft around the burner head, and a plurality of elongated upright legs are secured at their upper ends to the'base plate. Each of the; legs is of sufiicient length to extend a substantial distance below the chimney tohold the lower end of the chimney opening above any obstruction to facilitate slipping the torch in and out of the chimney, and to insure good draft through the opening in the bottom of the chimney. f N

' Preferably, the torch pot holder includes an upright shield mounted around the perimeter of the top surface of the base plate, and the ribs extend from the central opening in .the base plate to the base plate perimeter. Preferably, the lateral openings in the lower portion of the chimney are, symmetrically disposed to provideuniform air flow in conjunction with the air flowing in through the bottom opening in the chimney.

These and otheraspects of .the invention willbe more 7 fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the torch and pot holder taken on line '11 of FIG. 2; and

'FIG. -2 is a plan view of the holder shown in FIG. 1. Referring to the drawing, a horizontal circular base plate 10 hasthree downwardly opening threaded recesses.

12 in itsbottom surface. The threaded recesses are spaced 120 apart around the base plate, and the upper end of a separate support leg 14 is threaded into each respective threaded recess. The lower ends of the legs support the base plate a substantial distance above the ground or floor, or any other structure on which the legs rest.

Four elongated and radially extending ribs 16 are welded to the top surface of the base plate. The inner end of each rib begins adjacent an upright opening 18 through the center of .the base plate. The outer end of each rib terminates just short of the perimeter or periphery of the base plate. Each rib is 'wider at its bottom than at its top. As shown best in FIG. 2, the ribslare spaced 90 apart around the central opening in the base plate.

Patented Oct. 20, 1964 An annular recess 20 in the top surface of the outer edge of the base plate receives the lower end of a hollow cylindrical heat shield 22, the upper end of which extends slightly above a melting pct 24 (shown only in phantom line) which rests on the top edges of the ribs.

A vertical hollow cylindrical chimney 26 is welded at its upper end to the bottom surface of the base plate around the central opening in the base plate. The I.D. of the chimney is equal to the diameter of the center opening.

The lower portion of the chimney is cutaway at 28 on four sides to form four lateral openings 30 which are spaced 90 apart around the chimney. The cut-away portions of the chimney leaves four downwardly extending chimney columns 32, which define the sides of the lateral chimney openings.

A horizontal and substantially square bottom chimney I plate 34 has a separate notch 36 formed at each corner to receive the lower end of a respective chimney column, and the bottom chimney plate is welded to the columns.

The lateral chimney openings are of sufiicient height and width that a conventional torch or burner head 38 can easily be inserted into either one of the openings and propped in the position shown in FIG. 1. The burner head is not shown in FIG. 2, forclarity. Gas is supplied to the burner head through a gas pipe 39, which is usually I fairly rigid for an appreciable distance adjacent the burner head. Consequently, the bottom of the chimney is held asubstantial distance above the support on which the legs rest to provide the clearanceneeded to move the torch in and out of the chimney. Thisalso keeps the bottom opening in the chimney clear for good draft.

As indicatedpreviously, the'heat shield can be any suitable height, but preferably it extends above the upper edge of the conventional melting pot. The tripod legs can be of any suitable length, but they should be sufliciently long to provide a clearance of atleast six inches below the opening in the chimney bottom to facilitate manipula- 4 tion of the'torch and to insure good draft to this opening,

because we have found that it is irnp-ortantfor proper combustion and distribution of heat. I j i In operation, the holder is set up as shown in FIG. 1,

the pot is set on the ribs, and theburner head is ignited and propped in the position shown. The lower edge of the burner rests on the-chimney bottom, and theupper edge rests against the side of the chimney. The hot gas produced by the burner rises in the chimney, strikes the central bottom portion of the pot, and is diverted radially outwardly by the ribs on which the pot rests. This insures rapid and uniform heatingof the pot, With attendant reduction in time required to get uniform melting of the metal in;the pot. The draft opening in the bottom of the chimney provides for good combustion and eflicient legs supporting the base plate hold the lateral chimney openings sufiiciently far above the support on which the legs rest so that the burner head and pipe can be manipulated as described without having to lift the holder.

' When the burner is removed from under a first pot to ing through it; a plurality of raisedribs on the top surface I of the base plate extending from the base plate cylindrical opening in a radial outward direction, a downwardly extending cylindrical chimney secured at its upper end to the base plate around the cylindrical opening through the base plate, the-diameter of said upper end of said chimney being equal to the diameter of the cylindrical opening through said base plate, the chimney having a plurality of lateral openings around its lower portion, said chimney being formed with a bottom plate and having an upright opening in: its bottom plate, a plurality of elongated upright ground engaging legs secured at their upper ends to the base plate andveach being of sufficient length to extend asubstantial, distance below the lower end of the chimney and hold the opening in the bottom plate of the chimney clear of any obstruction, and a torch insertable into one of said lateral openings of said chimney to be removably supported by said-chimney.

2. A torch and pot holder comprising a substantially horizontal base plate having an upright cylindricalopem ing through it, a plurality of raised ribs onthe top surface of the base plate extending from the base plate cylindrical opening in a radial outward direction, an annular heat shield disposed on the top surface of the base plate around the outer ends of the ribs and extending a substantial distance above the ribs, a downwardly extending cylindrical chimney secured at itsupper end to the base plate around the cylindrical opening through the base plate, the diameter of said upper end of said chimney being equal to the diameter of the cylindricalopen ing through said base plate, the chimney having a plurality of lateral openings around its lower portion, said chimney being formed with a bottom plate and having an upright opening in its bottom plate, aplurality of elongated upright ground engaging legs secured at their upper ends to the base plate and each being of sufficient length to extend a substantial distance below the'lower end of the chimney and hold the opening in the bottom plate a of the chimney clear of any obstruction, and a torch insertable into one of said lateral openings of :said chimney to be removably supported'by said chimney.

3. A torch and pot holderrcomprising a substantially horizontal base plate having an upright cylindrical openchimney having a plurality of lateral openings around its lower portion, said chimney being formed with a bottom plate and having an upright opening his bottom plate, a plurality of elongated upright ground engaging legs secured at their upper ends to the base plate and each being of suflicient length to extend a substantial distance below the lower end of the chimney and hold the opening in the bottom plate of the chimney clear of any obstruction, and a torch insertable into one of said lateral openings to be removably supported by said chimney.

4. A torch and pot holder comprising a substantially horizontal base plate having an upright cylindrical opening through it, a plurality-of raised ribs on the top surface of the base plate extending from the base plate cylindrical opening in a-radially outward direction, a downwardly extending cylindrical'chimney' secured at its upper end to the. base plate around the cylindrical opening through the base plate,- the diameter of said chimney at its upper end being equal tothe diameter of. the cylindrical opening through said base plate, the chimney having a plurality of radially symmetrical lateral openings around its lower portion, said chimney being for-med with a bottom plate and having an upright opening in its bottom plate, a plurality of elongated upright group engaging legs secured at'their upper ends to the base plate and each being of sufiicient length to extend a substantial distance below the lower end of the chimney and'hold the opening in the bottom plate of the chimney clear of any obstruction, and a torch insertable into. one, of said lateral openings of said chimney to be removably supported by said chimney.

5. A torch and pot holder comprising a substantially horizontal base plate having an upright cylindrical opening through it, a plurality of raised ribs on the top surface of the base plate extending from the base plate cylindrical opening in a radially outward direction, a downwardly extending cylindrical chimney secured at its upper end to the base plate around the cylindrical opening through the base plate, thediameter of said chimney at its upper end being equalto the diameter of the cylindrical opening through said base plate, the chimney having a plurality of draft openings in its lower portion, said. chimney being formed, with a bottom plate and having an upright opening in its bottom plate, a plurality of elongated upright ground engaginglegs secured at their upper ends to' the base plate and each being of sufficient length to extend a substantial distance below the lower end of the chimney and holdt-he openings in. the lower portion of the chimney above the support on which the legs rest, and a torch insertable into one of said draft openings of said chimney to be removably supported by said chimney.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 5 tifitit rr-r Fi 8 i l l 

1. A TORCH AND POT HOLDER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BASE PLATE HAVING AN UPRIGHT CYLINDRICAL OPENING THROUGH IT, A PLURALITY OF RAISED RIBS ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE BASE PLATE EXTENDING FROM THE BASE PLATE CYLINDRICAL OPENING IN A RADIAL OUTWARD DIRECTION, A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CYLINDRICAL CHIMNEY SECURED AT ITS UPPER END TO THE BASE PLATE AROUND THE CYLINDRICAL OPENING THROUGH THE BASE PLATE, THE DIAMETER OF SAID UPPER END OF SAID CHIMNEY BEING EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF THE CYLINDRICAL OPENING THROUGH SAID BASE PLATE, THE CHIMNEY HAVING A PLURALITY OF LATERAL OPENINGS AROUND ITS LOWER PORTION, SAID CHIMNEY BEING FORMED WITH A BOTTOM PLATE AND HAVING AN UPRIGHT OPENING IN ITS BOTTOM PLATE, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED UP- 